Mitchell Suspended for Milkshaking

[zinn21]

link: http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/ ... suspension

There seems to be quite a few TC02 violations in Southern Ca. If you win a race you are automatically tested so why would anyone milkshake a horse when they are guaranteed a test if the horse wins?? Is TC02 testing hit and miss??

[Brogan]

As a cost saving method, most jurisdictions don't test for everything, every time.

Some trainers think they can outsmart the system, others just like to play Russian Roulette.

[majxmom]

Also, I believe that some trainers actually FEED baking soda on a routine basis. It seems to me that this should be allowed as it is not a race-day treatment necessarily, and still useful for buffering the blood on a daily basis, but there is no way to sort out what was a race-day TCO2 level, and what is its daily level. So they had to tell trainers that a certain level would not be allowed. Some guys may still feed it, but don't have a good handle on how many days to back off. Not to say that I have any idea what happened in this case.

[Sysonby]

Mitchell recently went on Roger Stein's radio show to explain his side of it. While I have no personal knowledge either way, I've heard his version from other people as well. Some horses can spike and other horses naturally test high.

[TJ]

link: http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/ ... suspension

There seems to be quite a few TC02 violations in Southern Ca. If you win a race you are automatically tested so why would anyone milkshake a horse when they are guaranteed a test if the horse wins?? Is TC02 testing hit and miss??

Hi Zinn,
It's not hit or miss at all, but it would help if trainers analyzed why they are getting high TCO2 levels....especially if they know for a fact their horse wasn't given a milkshake.
I was called in one day and the stewards were kind enough to give me a warning.....not that I was over the limit, just that I was close to it. Knowing there was no milk shaking going on I was able to figure out why.
Some horses have a naturally high TCO2 level, this usually due to something they are ingesting thought to be harmless. Trainers should test and know all their horses naturally occurring TCO2 level. Some horses are normally very near the maximum threshold levels tested for. More times than not, a positive will occur without administering an illegal milkshake. Whatever the reason....it makes no difference, a high TCO2 level in a horses blood will help ward off fatigue and you will be severely reprimanded. It is a trainer's responsibility to be aware of the substances his horse is ingesting and the effect such substances will have on a horse. Once this is established, the trainer will know what substances can be used and which, if any of these substances, need to be withdrawn prior to race day.
There are a number things that can trigger this value, if lasix is administered closer than 3 hours of a race it can increase TCO2. Supplements containing bicarbonate, acetate or citrate. Certain anti-ulcer meds, antacids, buffers....etc. Some things as benign as electrolytes and salt which may contain alkalizing agents, when combined with limited water consumption (as is the norm, pulling the water bucket's after lasix) can cause alkalosis which will cause an elevated TCO2. Recently they have found certain diets fed to horses may increase TCO2.....for instance alfalfa and soybean meal have a high CAB value which is thought to increase TCO2. This is why it is so important to know the naturally occurring TCO2 value of your race horse and if his daily supplements are creating a high value. TJ

[Gallop58]

Now's a good time to mention something that gets attention every once in a while. (mostly championed by the Thorograph guy, Brown?)
He wants TCO2 levels to be published for each horse.
I'd think this is the best approach to dealing with this.
Also, some jurisidictions require the horse in question to be stabled in the detention barn and monitored after a positive or suspect reading. If they have "naturally" high levels, then things are likely "OK" or explainable.

The issue most bettors don't like is that it's clear to some that horses are getting loaded to just be below the threshold.
Is that cheating? Brown famously used a freedom of information request to check the data from one jurisdiction and found readings in excess of the threshold with no reporting by the commission.

[zinn21]

TJ, Thanks for the in depth explanation. I have never had a horse nor my trainer had one that tested high for TC02. Based on what you stated it seems to me that high readings can occur for horses who absolutely have not been given a milkshake. If that is the case I think a punitive ruling for anyone is unfair unless there is absolute proof a horse was given a milkshake. The rule seems flawed if punishable TC02 levels can be attained through natural circumstances. Apparently that is what Mike Mitchell alleges in this particular case.

You wrote:

Trainers should test and know all their horses naturally occurring TCO2 level. Some horses are normally very near the maximum threshold levels tested for. More times than not, a positive will occur without administering an illegal milkshake.

I think the TC02 levels should be raised rather than requiring me to spend money for a test on an animal I know was not given a milkshake. There should be no doubt that any horse tested reached a TC02 level impossible to attain through any feed or supplement protocol.

[BenB]

I have had some tb,s over the last years, but if you are feeding something else than hay and oats, there might be a chance for testing positive.

So the question comes around, what is natural feed for a horse.

Overhere there are suppliers from horsefeed which are putting sodium
in the feed" a natural milkshake".

The ratio needs to be down, instead of increasing

[Turn-To Fan]

If some horses have naturally high TCO2 levels, are they performing better than other horses with lower TCO2 levels? If horses with higher natural TCO2 levels perform better, is this a heritable trait?

[BenB]

No there is not, it,s only influenzed by feed, supplements and (mis)treatment by my knowledge.

The natural part is de indigestion from the stuff, some horses indigest faster than others.

[zinn21]

If some horses have naturally high TCO2 levels, are they performing better than other horses with lower TCO2 levels? If horses with higher natural TCO2 levels perform better, is this a heritable trait?

I think that is a very legitimate question. Based on what TJ wrote it certainly appears that TC02 levels vary from horse to horse.

[TJ]

If some horses have naturally high TCO2 levels, are they performing better than other horses with lower TCO2 levels? If horses with higher natural TCO2 levels perform better, is this a heritable trait?

I think that is a very legitimate question. Based on what TJ wrote it certainly appears that TC02 levels vary from horse to horse.

Hi Zinn,
The natural occurring TCO2 level in a race horse varies from horse to horse and barn to barn on the race track. In the wild a horses TCO2 level would most likely be lower than stalled horses in a barn in a particular environment and feed program. TheTCO2 level in a horse’s blood is a function of the acid/alkaline “pH” balance in the horse, and that balance can be affected by a number of factors, including Lasix, medications, supplements, feed, dehydration, limited water intake, pathological conditions such as respiratory problems etc. It is an alkaline pH that will lead to an elevated TCO2 level. So we can see there are a variety of things that can and will make changes to the horses PH level which in turn creates a high TCO2 value in the blood.
I don't believe a high natural TCO2 level in a horses blood is an inheritable trait....I don't know this for a fact, but in my experience I believe it is more likely to be found in a well trained fit horse. I know a fit horse is less likely to tie up and tying up and lactic acid go hand in hand.....as does lactic acid and fatigue in a horse. TJ

[ElPrado]

It can probably also be affected by naturally high levels of acidity or alkalinity in the natural water supply in the area.

[BenB]

This is for humans, but might give an insight for horses:

http://www.ctds.info/acidic-foods.html